Sooraj’s bail plea rejected, sent to judicial custody

Sooraj Pancholi, son of actor Aditya Pancholi, who was arrested for the abetment of actress Jiah Khan’s suicide, moved a bail application before the Mumbai sessions court after a magistrate's court remanded him to judicial custody.

The court however, rejected the remand application and sent Sooraj to judicial custody.

On Thursday morning, Sooraj was produced before the metropolitan magistrate's court at Andheri where police sought his custody for further investigation. The prosecution contended that the six page letter of the actress contains allegation of rape which they need to further investigate.

The Juhu police also told the court that Sooraj has not been cooperative to the investigation and has deleted data related to the actress from his phone, which they have since been trying to retrieve. The police are also trying to retrieve data from Khan's phone and laptop.

According to police, they have recovered two more letters from a servant of the Pancholi family. The police are now trying to determine who wrote the letters and are seeking the services of a hand writing expert.

Meanwhile, Pancholi's advocate contested the remand application saying that the investigation is already complete. The police has recorded statements, sampled his handwriting and seized his phone and laptop. The lawyer argued that the custodial interrogation was no longer required.

But the court rejected the application. Soon after the magistrate court passed the order, the Pancholi family moved a bail application in the Sessions court.

The family has pleaded that the allegations against him can be dealt with at the time of trial and that he should be released. The court however, rejected the remand application and sent Sooraj to judicial custody.